Manny Malhotra: Monday the ‘most game-like that I’ve felt’

VANCOUVER — Canucks center Manny Malhotra participated in both the team’s scrimmage and special teams work in Monday’s practice at Rogers Arena. Malhotra, who has been out since March with an eye injury but was recently cleared for contact, said that Monday was “the most game-like” he was felt since his injury. His coach saw the same.

“I thought today was a good day. We scrimmaged, and we did a little bit of power play and penalty killing. I thought he looked alright,” Alain Vigneault said. “He’s still day-to-day, and we’ll see how he practices tomorrow.”

Malhotra, who had 11 goals and 19 assist for 30 points in 72 regular-season games, doesn’t know whether he’s good to go for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals vs. the Bruins, but is happy just to be on the ice.

“A lot of my status is going to be based on how I feel post these two scrimmages. It was good to get back in, mix it up a little bit,feel the pressure in the corners, get into some intense face-offs and get some PK work in. We’ll see on a daily basis how the progression goes.”

Once Malhotra makes his return to the lineup, it’s hard to tell whether he will return to centering the third line with regular minutes or whether he might be brought along slowly.

“It’s kind out of my hands at that point,” he said. “Everybody in this room has it the same way. If you’re ready to play and you’re in there, you’re either ready to play two minutes or 20 minutes. It doesn’t matter. You’re going to be used however coach sees fit.”